


Cupid Wears Black

by bookscape



Category: Zorro (TV 1957)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2020-06-03 10:38:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19462249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookscape/pseuds/bookscape
Summary: Did the Mountain Man and Carlotta ever make it to the altar?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Did the Mountain Man and Carlotta ever make it to the altar?

Cupid Wears Black

**[2](http://www.bookscape.net/zshort/cupid1.htm)**  
  
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_**Cupid Wears Black**_  
  
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**Is the Mountain Man set of episodes the part of the series that most of us love to hate? Are these the episodes that we are most likely to miss when they air? Does Don Carlos annoy you as he does me? Well, let me tell you... the other thing that annoyed me was the fact that poor Carlotta was left hanging at the altar, so to speak.  
And I will admit to a certain liking to both her character and to Joe Crane's. (So shoot me! I'm weird. I admit it.) With that in mind, last Valentine's Day, I set out to change that deplorable situation and the result is Cupid Wears Black. I hope you enjoy it. **

**Strange are the paths of true love.... Who would think that someone as sweet as dear Carlotta would want someone as uncouth as Joe Crane to steal kisses from her?**  
  
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**Diego/Zorro, Tornado, Bernardo, Joe Crane, Lobo, and all the other characters in this little story belong to Zorro Productions and/or Disney. I thoroughly enjoyed using them and tried to be very nice to one and all, (except Don Carlos, perhaps.) The only character that was wholly mine was the vaquero and you all can have him. I don't want him back.**

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**Now on to the story!!!**

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My thanks go to Wendell Vega for this wonderful picture of Zorro, and to Jill Panvini, who enhanced it for me.   
  
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**Chapter One**

**A stealthy figure slipped furtively from bush to rock to tree.If one blinked, one might miss the spectral apparition, or if one didn’t blink, then one might think it was a coyote, curious to check out the human habitation sitting beyond the edge of civilization.The wraithlike form lingered under the front window of the tiny house, and when it heard nothing suspicious, it slipped to the doorway, and almost silently worked the latch loose.In another instant it was gone.Suddenly there was a squealing cry of delight from inside, cut off quickly.“ _Señor_ Joe!” the voice next whispered.**

**Carlotta quickly lit a candle and set it in the middle of the table.Her father rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and pulled a chair out for their enigmatic visitor.**

**“ _Señor_ Joe, what are you doing back here in the pueblo.You know that Don Carlos has never forgiven you and would like nothing more than to catch you.You must leave, _por favor_ ,” Carlotta said anxiously. **

**“Ah, lass,” Joe Crane said in his broken Spanish.“You are beautiful when you are worried.But you are the reason I am back.I cannot sleep, eat, trap; why _Señorita_ , I am not even interested in that frog juice you all call liquor.I am back to ask you to marry me.”**

**Carlotta stepped back a pace and put her hand to her mouth in surprise.“ _Señor_ Joe, you want to marry me?" **

**“Yes, ma’am, that’s what I said and that’s what I mean.You are the woman of my dreams.”**

**“Oh, _Señor_ Joe.I do not know what to say.”**

**“Say yes,” Joe told her quickly.**

**“Yes,” she answered without hesitation, then turned to her father.“Oh, Papá, that is if you approve.”**

**“Ah, Carlotta.You have been mooning around here for three months. _Señor_ Joe this and _Señor_ Joe that.If I arranged a marriage with Don Diego de la Vega, you would not be happy, because I know you love _Señor_ Joe.Of course, you have my permission.”**

**“Oh, Papá,” she cried, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing his cheeks.**

**“Hey, don’t the groom get a bit of huggin,’ squeezin’ and kissin’?” Joe asked in protest.Promptly Carlotta jumped up and threw herself into Joe’s arms.**

**“Your gived-away kisses are every bit as good as the stolen ones, _Señorita_ ,” Joe said with a great smile.“Let’s go get hitched."**

**“Hitched?” Carlotta asked, unfamiliar with the term.**

**“Hitched.Tie the knot.Jump the broom.Get married,” Joe replied.**

**“Oh, married.Well, _Señor_ Joe, I realize that we cannot have a big church wedding, and we must do this secretly, but I do want to be dressed nicely, and we must take the time to go see Father Felipe or Father Manuel.It will be at least two days,” Carlotta explained.**

**“Two days!” Joe exclaimed.“All you got to do is say ‘I do’ in front of the preacher and that’s that.The Indians do it simpler.”**

**“Not here, they don’t, _Señor_ Joe,” Carlotta said in a voice that brooked no argument.**

**“Um, one day, _Señorita_?” he asked, looking hopeful.**

**“Well, perhaps tomorrow evening would be long enough,” Carlotta said with a knowing smile.“Papá can go into the pueblo tomorrow and talk to _Padre_ Manuel.I will have to go to work as usual, although I suspect that by early afternoon I can easily get a headache, so I can come home and get ready for our wedding.When I go to the tavern in the morning, you come back here and clean up.No one will see you, _Señor_ Joe.” **

**“Hmm, well, I s’pose so, _Señorita_ ,” he acquiesced, rubbing his chin and squinting up at his intended. **

**“And since we are getting married, would you at least call me _Señorita_ Carlotta, or just Carlotta?” **

**“ _Sí_ , if you will call me Joe.”**

**“Yes, Joe.I will,” she said and gave him another quick kiss.Suddenly the howl of a wolf echoed through the little valley, as the mountain man laid back his head and cried out in celebration.“Tarnation, Carlotta.That kiss would make a coyote want to step in a trap and smile doin’ it.I surely cannot wait to see what a long kiss will do.”Carlotta just giggled and blushed.**

**Papá smiled.While this was not exactly what he had in mind for a son-in-law, he still liked Joe Crane and felt he would take good care of his daughter.Besides, Carlotta was fast approaching post eligibility and one couldn’t be too choosy under those circumstances.**

**===================================**

**The next day, Papá went into town to talk to the padre, also stopping to buy a few things Carlotta had asked him to pick up for her.Some of the merchants he purchased from were curious and asked him what the happy occasion was.In confidence, he told them the joyous news, and within the hour the whole pueblo had heard about the wedding, including the morose and taciturn Don Carlos.**

**“So, that animal thinks he can just prance right back into the area without any repercussion.He will soon find out that one does not humiliate me without feeling my retribution.That insolent _Americano_ will pay for what he did to me,”**

** he growled into his wine cup.His eyes narrowed as Carlotta breezed around the room, serving wine in more than her usual cheerful manner.She even hummed softly as she refilled the sententious _hacendado’s_ cup. **

**“Perhaps, Don Carlos, I can get some information from the cheerful _señorita_ ,” Marcos, the new head _vaquero_ said, as Carlotta moved to the next table. **

**“Perhaps.Try and see, but however we get the information, I want that dog in my grasp before tonight.”**

**A few minutes later, the _vaquero_ admitted defeat.“Well, go and get it from her father.That seems to be where the news came from in the first place,” Don Carlos suggested.**

**“A very good suggestion, _patrón_ ,” Marcos said, turning and leaving the tavern. **

**“That is why I am a landowner and you are a scraper of horse dung,” Don Carlos muttered at the _vaquero’s_ retreating back.Leaving a few centavos on the table, the _hacendado_ slowly got up and walked out of the tavern a few minutes after Marco. **

**When she cleaned up the table, Carlotta looked at the money in surprise.Don Carlos never left a tip. _Ah, well.It is just another manifestation of a wonderfully beautiful day_ , she thought happily.**

**“Congratulations, _Señorita_ ,” a voice sounded softly behind her.Turning, Carlotta looked into the smiling face of Don Diego de la Vega.“Would it be permissible for me to attend your wedding, or am I too presumptuous?” he asked.**

**“My…my wedding?” she asked, wondering where he had found out that information.**

**“ _Sí_ , your wedding.I had been told that _Señor_ Crane has proposed to you and you have accepted,” he reiterated his information in a low voice.“Understandably you are being wed in secret, but since I have a bit of a liking for the _Americano_ , I thought that perhaps, I could serve in some capacity.Every wedding needs well-wishers anyway, _Señorita_.” **

**Cold chills began climbing up and down her spine.If the word had gotten out, then Joe might not be safe anywhere.“Oh, Don Diego, I am afraid that Papá’s indiscretion may get Joe killed before there is any wedding.He is at my house until we go to see _Padre_ Manuel this evening.”**

**“Perhaps I should go out and check on him.I think he trusts me as much as he trusts anybody around here,” Diego reassured her, patting her hand.**

**“ _Gracias_ , Don Diego.Please hurry.”**

**========================**

**Joe Crane was bathing quietly in the water barrel, not wanting to attract attention despite assurances from Carlotta that the house was too remote for anyone to be coming by.But as he was emerging he heard the sound of several horses.Lobo growled and jumped to his feet.“Watch,” he commanded the wolf/dog, knowing that Carlotta and her papa only owned one old horse and a cart, and her papa had taken it to the _pueblo_ this morning.Jumping out as fast as he could, he grabbed his long underwear and had only pulled on the bottoms when the end of a musket was stuck under his chin.Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lobo lunge for his assailant.The faithful companion never reached his destination, another _vaquero’s_ musket stock laid the animal out cold.**

**Growling, Joe looked at the sneering man on horseback.“That’s a lowdown, dirty trick, Don Carlos, catching a man with his pants down, and then laying into his dog, to boot. You are a yellow snake, sitting up there on that horse and lettin’ these boys of yours do your dirty work for you.Why, you wouldn’t be sneering so much if I had my knife in my hand.”He spat on the ground and growled again.“I believe I just insulted a snake.”**

**Don Carlos pressed his lips tightly together at the slurs, and glared even harder at the American.“You will regret ever coming back, you swine.And you will doubly regret those words.”Turning to Marcos, he added, “Bind him so he cannot use his arms, but I want you to leave his legs free.I want to see how well this animal can run.”**

**Joe struggled against the _vaqueros_ , but a pistol butt against the side of his head dazed him enough for them to bind him successfully.When he had fully come back to his senses, he saw that there was no chance of escape at the moment.He was jerked to his feet and the horses were spurred into a slow gallop.All of his concentration was focused on staying upright, because he didn’t care for the alternative at the moment.His mountain man existence helped him to ignore most of the pain that shot up from his feet when he stepped on stones and thorns.However, Joe realized it would be hard to make it all the way to Don Carlos’ _hacienda_ , if, in fact that was where they were going.He also knew that he would rather be slowly eaten by a grizzly bear, than to show that pompous, pig-headed weasel any weakness.**

**End part One**  
  
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**[Chapter Two](http://www.bookscape.net/zshort/cupid2.htm)**  
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**[Zorro Contents](http://www.bookscape.net/zorrocontents.htm)**  
**[Main Page](http://www.bookscape.net/index.htm)**


	2. Cupid Wears Black

Cupid Wears Black

_**Cupid Wears Black**_  
  
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**Chapter Two**

**As Diego and Bernardo rode in sight of the little house, they saw the wolf/dog lying motionless in front.Jumping off his horse, the _caballero_ dashed into the house, and finding nothing went back out to the porch, while Bernardo checked on Joe’s companion.Quickly noting the left behind clothes and the tracks of several horses, Diego came to the only conclusion he could; Joe Crane had been captured.**

**“Bernardo, stay here.I will be right back.”The servant made a swishing sound and Diego nodded, swinging onto his palomino.Quickly he turned the horse’s head and galloped in the direction of the de la Vega _hacienda_. **

**Within an hour, Zorro was traveling swiftly back to Carlotta’s house, where he was met by Bernardo and a fully recovered Lobo.The wolf/dog growled softly, but stopped when Bernardo reassured him with a pat on the head.“Have you found any other clues as to where _Señor_ Crane was taken?”**

**Nodding, Bernardo signed his discovery that four men had ridden away on horseback with another on foot.He pointed to the animal and indicated the wolf/dog’s desire to follow the trail.Zorro glanced in the direction Bernardo was pointing and nodded.“Yes, that is the direction of Don Carlos’ _hacienda_.They cannot have gone too swiftly, with _Señor_ Crane on foot.”**

**Bernardo made more signs.“No, my friend, if Don Carlos had wanted him dead right now, his body would have been laying next to his companion’s.”Zorro looked at the wolf/dog and then back at the trail.“I have the inkling of an idea.Now go into the _pueblo_ and get the _señorita_ , her father and _Padre_ Manuel, and take them to Don Carlos’ hacienda.Wait nearby until you see my signal.” **

**Bernardo had an idea of what his _patrón_ was thinking and he smiled broadly.After giving him a few more instructions, Zorro watched the mute mount his horse and ride back to Los Angeles.Turning back to the wolf/dog, he looked the animal in the eyes and rubbed around his ears.The wolf whined very softly in his throat, continually looking in the same direction.**

**“Ah, boy, that is what I want you to do.Find your friend, Joe Crane.Find him. Find Joe.Go!” he commanded and let the animal go.Like a ball from a musket, the wolf/dog shot down the trail, silently but steadily.Swinging on Tornado, Zorro followed.After a quarter mile, the outlaw was assured of Joe Crane’s destination.Whistling to the panting animal, he halted the stallion and waited for the wolf to come to him.With a whine, Joe Crane’s friend dropped to his haunches and gazed at Zorro.Another whistle and Lobo leaped onto the front of the masked man’s saddle.Tornado snorted, but was otherwise calm.Soon they were galloping along the trail once more.**

**Angrily, Zorro noticed signs of Joe Crane’s struggle to stay on his feet.Small spots of blood dotted the route and signs that the mountain man had fallen were evident as well.But amazingly, the _Americano_ seemed to have fallen very seldom.As they approached the ridge overlooking Don Carlo’s _hacienda_ , Zorro noticed a rope being thrown over a large branch of a massive oak.Joe Crane was sitting against the trunk, his long handled underwear brown from the dust of the trail, his feet bloody and swollen, but his eyes still defiant and full of anger.The wolf/dog growled and started to jump down.“No, Lobo.Wait.You will get your chance.”**

**Reaching back into a small saddlebag, Zorro pulled out a short length of rope and tied it around the wolf’s neck, hanging on to the other end.“Tornado, wait here,” he said, dismounting and lifting Lobo down.Calling softly to the wolf, he made his way quickly toward the oak tree that was near the front of the hacienda.“Shh.Stay,” he admonished the agitated animal as they waited behind brush near the tree.A _vaquero_ patrolled very near their position and Zorro waited until the man was within arm’s length.Then he reached out and grabbing him around the neck, pulled him toward him, using a rock to render him unconscious.His ambush of the _vaquero_ was masked by Don Carlos’ triumphant laughter.A pistol was jerked from the man’s sash and Zorro pulled the hammer back and aimed.**

**The other _vaqueros_ had put noose around the _Americano’s_ neck and sat him on a horse.The other end of the rope had been tied off on another branch and Don Carlos stood behind the horse, a switch poised to strike the animal’s rump. _Swish,_ and the horse squealed with sudden fright, bolting.A pistol shot rang out, the rope parted and Joe landed heavily on the ground, the severed rope hanging loosely against his back.“Get him, boy,” Zorro cried, pointing to Don Carlos, and jerking the rope from around the wolf’s neck.**

**Wolf and man, in shades of black and gray, dashed into the knot of men and began laying into them.Lobo unerringly leaped for Don Carlos and knocked him to the ground, growling and snapping in his face.Screaming for help, Don Carlos went white with fear.The wolf’s teeth came closer and closer, and hot saliva dripped onto the _hacendado’s_ cheek.Zorro knocked one man unconscious with the hilt of his sword.“ _Señor_ Crane, it would seem that your El Lobo is acquitting himself very well,” Zorro said with a laugh.**

**Joe Crane was struggling with his bonds, with limited success.“Well, I would do pretty well myself, if I wasn’t all tied up.”Zorro worked his way over to the mountain man, and with a slight motion, sliced one of the strands of rope binding him.Giving a mighty heave, the _Americano_ yanked the rest of the ropes off and leaped into the fray.With a howling cry, he grabbed a _vaquero_ around the neck with one arm and hit him over the head with his fist.The man dropped like a stone.**

**Zorro engaged Marco, their blades flashing in the late afternoon sun.As they circled each other, their feet stirred up tiny puffs of dust.Marco leaped toward the outlaw in a lunge that would have dispatched a lesser man.But Zorro was not a lesser man.With a laugh, he danced nimbly out of the way, his blade barely nicking the seat of his opponent’s trousers as Marco barreled his way past.Growling in rage, his opponent came at him again.Again the outlaw jumped to the side and again the tip of the sword found placement on material, twice this time, before the _vaquero_ was able to pivot around.**

**Remotely, Zorro heard the loud, deep laugh of Joe Crane and glanced over to see him leaning against the tree, arms folded, watching, with two _vaqueros_ lying unconscious at his feet.“Well done, _Señor_ Crane.” **

**“Well, if you two boys get done playing with those pig-stickers of yours, we can get out of this place, find Carlotta and get the _padre_ ,” Joe commented wryly.**

**Zorro didn’t answer immediately; Marco was advancing furiously, alternating thrusting and slashing motions.Ducking as the blade whistled overhead, the outlaw reached in with his saber and jerked the sword from Marco’s hand, sending it flying through the air to land in the nearby bushes.The point of Zorro’s blade was immediately resting against the _vaquero’_ s jugular vein.“Is this fast enough for you, _Señor_ Crane?” he asked, chuckling.**

**“ _Sí,_ _Señor_ Zorro.If you ever get restless and want to see the mountains, I do believe you and I could make a good match at the mountain rendezvous.By the way, I like the little monogram in the seat of that boy’s pants,” he said, laughing again.**

**“I thought you were going to marry _Señorita_ Carlotta?” Zorro asked.**

**“That I am, but a man must make a living to support such a wonderful wife, and trapping and trading is all I know,” Joe answered.**

**“Does Carlotta understand that?” Zorro asked.**

**“Yes, Carlotta does understand that, _Señor_ Zorro,” a soft voice answered from behind them.Turning, both men saw Carlotta, Bernardo, Carlotta’s father and _Padre_ Manuel riding into view.“I knew that Joe would spend time in the mountains trapping and hunting, but I understand.Just as he understands that his home is here when he is not trapping and hunting.”**

**“Yes, sir, gentlemen.That Carlotta is quite a woman,” Joe exclaimed, swinging his love from her horse.She handed him his clothes, which he quickly took behind a bush and put on.He grunted appreciatively at her foresight in bringing him a pair of comfortable moccasins, at the same time noticing that she was wearing a fine lace-trimmed dress and wearing her hair up in a fancy comb.**

**“Would someone please get this beast off me!” Don Carlos screamed.Lobo had been very quiet during the fighting; only growling softly whenever the _caballero_ moved.**

**“Kind of depends, Don Carlos,” Joe said.**

**“Anything, anything…”**

**“If you leave me alone long enough to let me and the lovely lady, here, get married,” Joe commented.**

**“And if you let them use your _hacienda_ in which to do it, Don Carlos,” Zorro added, a sly smile on his lips.**

**“What?” Don Carlos cried out.“You cannot believe that I…” Lobo growled menacingly.“All right, all right, you win.Use the patio.”**

**“No, _señor_.Two people in love should have the benefit of that _sala_ you are always bragging about,” Zorro told him.Don Carlos claimed to have furnishings and artwork, the likes of which could not be seen anywhere except in Spain.**

**Don Carlos closed his eyes, still felt the wolf’s hot breath on his cheek, and sighed.“All right, the _sala_ , but the dog stays out.”**

**“No, sir, he don’t.He is part of the family, too.He will be part of this wedding,” Joe said vehemently.Carlotta was laughing behind her hand, enjoying the discomfiture of the _hacendado_.She still resented his treatment of her fiancée the first time he had come to Los Angeles, as well as his treatment today.**

**Opening his eyes only to see the glittering yellow eyes of Lobo convinced Don Carlos.“Very well…”**

**“You had this planned all along,” Joe said to Zorro, laughing heartily, and slapping the outlaw on the back.**

**Zorro found it hard to keep his feet after such a blow.“ _Sí, Señor_ Crane, it was in my mind for things to work out this way.”**

**“Much obliged, although, if you don’t mind, I think the patio would suit me better anyways.I always pictured getting hitched in the open,” Joe explained.**

**“Hitched?”**

**“Married,” Carlotta elaborated for the outlaw.“And I would be happy to be ‘hitched’ outside.”Don Carlos sighed a hearty sigh of relief as Lobo slowly got off his chest.Bernardo finished tying up the last of the unconscious _vaqueros_ , as well as Marco, as the party entered the patio.**

**“ _Señor_ Zorro.I just realized something.I ain’t got a best man.Seeing as how you have saved my hide twice, uh, maybe you would like to stand by me as I marry this sweet _señorita_ ,” Joe said, almost at a loss for words.**

**“Of course, if the good _padre_ feels it would be proper for an outlaw to be a witness to the nuptials,” Zorro answered.**

**“I see no problems, my son, especially if we have Don Carlos here as the other witness.No one would dispute the word of such a fine and upstanding _caballero_ as himself,” Father Manuel said evenly, looking meaningfully at the _hacendado_.“I have not seen you at confession for quite some time either, _señor_ ,” he added softly.**

**Don Carlos nodded, sighing in relief that his _sala_ was spared.“ _Sí,_ I will witness.”**

**His shoulders slumped in defeat.**

**“Don Diego wanted to be at the wedding,” Carlotta said, remembering the earlier conversation.**

**“I asked de la Vega to arrange for residency status for _Señor_ Crane, since he is marrying one of our local citizens,” Zorro said hastily.“Even though he was a bit disappointed, he was very quick to see the need for such a move and asked me to invite you both to a fiesta tomorrow at his _hacienda_ to celebrate your nuptials.After the wedding mass, of course.”**

**“A wedding party for us?” Joe asked.Zorro nodded.“Why, that’s nice of the young feller.Why sure, and I s’pose he will have plenty of that frog juice you call liquor?”**

**“I’m sure he will,” Zorro answered with a hearty laugh.The priest called all of them over and he began the ceremony.As soon as it was finished, Joe let out a howling cry, accompanied by one from Lobo, grabbed his new wife and, crushing her to him, kissed her long and deep.**

**“ _Señora_ Crane, my congratulations,” Zorro said, taking Carlotta’s hand, kissing it and then backing away.“Don Diego has also arranged a place for you to spend your first night of marriage.If you will follow the de la Vega manservant, he will show you.”**

**Zorro rode with the little group for a short ways before leaving them to watch from a slight rise.Lobo followed along behind the happy couple.As the newlyweds rode out of sight, he thought how strange were the paths of true love.**

**Happy Valentine’s Day, 2000**  
  
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[](mailto:firstbookscape@gmail.com) **Did you enjoy the story? Let me know.**  
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